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Inhibition of lettuce seed germination and seedling growth by antimetabolites of nucleic acids, and reversal by nucleic acid precursors and gibberellic acid

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Summary

Germination of White Paris lettuce seeds is inhibited by 2-thiouracil up to 24 hours. This inhibition is reversed by RNA precursors only. Seedling growth of lettuce is inhibited by 2-thiouracil and 5-fluorouracil; and white the effect of 2-thiouracil is counteracted by RNA precursors, inhibition due to 5-fluorouracil is not reversed significantly by any nucleic acid precursors. Possibly 2-thiouracil controls germination and seedling growth by interfering with RNA synthesis, while the effect of 5-fluorouracil is non-specific.

In the presence of gibberellic acid, 5-fluorouracil and 2-thiouracil are relatively ineffective in causing inhibition of hypocotyl growth. Mechanism of gibberellic acid action remains obscure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, Michigan, USA

    A. A. Khan

  2. Department of Seed Investigations New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, 14456, Geneva, New York, (USA)

    A. A. Khan

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  1. A. A. Khan
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Khan, A.A. Inhibition of lettuce seed germination and seedling growth by antimetabolites of nucleic acids, and reversal by nucleic acid precursors and gibberellic acid. Planta 68, 83–87 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385373

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00385373

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